Muralitharan joins Australia coaching staff

Cricket Australia has acquired the services of champion Sri Lankan off-spinner, Muttiah Muralitharan ahead of the series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Australia are due to face Pakistan in a series comprising of 2 Tests and 3 ODIs in October.

The off-spinner, whose action was under immense scrutiny and was constantly no-balled during tours of Australia, will now join the team set-up as a consultant, similar to the role played by Shane Warne ahead of the tour of South Africa.

"I'm very much excited; I know the Australian team is a very good side, but hopefully I can have a little bit of input to help them do well in the series against Pakistan," Muralitharan told cricket.com.au.

"Those conditions (in UAE) might help spinners and I know a few tricks that might help them on what to do as I have played a lot of matches in those conditions in the UAE and hopefully I can help them a little bit," he added.

Australia head-coach, Darren Lehmann said the 42-year old spinner will work as a consultant to the national team and will also mentor incumbent off-spinner, Nathan Lyon and the other spinners selected on the tour.

The tour of the UAE includes Tests at Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which follow the one-off T20I and three ODIs. On those tracks, Saeed Ajmal is expected to be a handful, particularly with his variations which include the 'doosra.' Muralitharan, who was a pioneer in the art of the doosra has the task of helping the Australian batsmen overcome their difficulties against spin.

"Ajmal is a difficult customer for all the best batsmen in the world, but he bowls a little bit similar to me so perhaps if I can bowl to the Australian batsman it might help a little bit and give them some tips," Muralitharan said.

"Nathan Lyon has been bowling brilliantly but hopefully I can help him a little bit on how to bowl in these subcontinent conditions, on how to use the conditions and how to set up the field; I have bowled to most of the Pakistani batsman in the past so hopefully I can help a bit," he further added.

Lehmann said the opportunity to work with Muralitharan would greatly benefit the team with series against Pakistan, India, West Indies and Sri Lanka on the anvil. "He's the highest wicket-taker of all time in Test cricket, an off-spinner, obviously we're going to face someone like that over there (in the UAE) with Ajmal," Lehmann told cricket.com.au.

"It gives our batters a real chance to experience those sort of conditions, how to play that type of bowling with Murali coming on board but also to help Nathan develop his skills. We're really excited to have him (and) I know he's excited, so I'm looking forward to working with him. It'll be a great experience not just for him but also for the team."

Cricket Australia general performance manager, Pat Howard said it was a coup to sign-up the world's highest wicket-taker, whose unquestioned experience on sub-continental tracks will help Australia do well on such pitches in future. "We know it's going to be a tough, hard contest in the UAE against Pakistan on wickets we predict will be friendly for spinners, Howard said.

"Muthiah knows those conditions well and will be fantastic in not only aiding our spinners on how to understand and best utilise the conditions, but to also work with our batsmen to help them tackle those threats," he added.

Muralitharan's appointment follows recent reports about Indian soil being imported to enable preparation of spin friendly tracks at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane. Lehmann said the fact that Australia had just won a single Test series in India (in 2004) over the last 40 years highlighted the need for through preparations ahead of any further tours to the sub-continent. One of the biggest things for us is to be successful in the subcontinent (and) we're playing most of our time in the subcontinent now, " Lehmann said.

"If we can have a pitch here (in Australia) that really mirrors that, or pitches three or four pitches that mirror an Indian, a Sri Lankan, Pakistan background if you like that makes it easier to have the guys come up (to Brisbane) before a tour, rather than go to the tour earlier, and try and cram it. You've got a lot more time to prepare which will, in essence, make them better players when they come under those conditions," he said.